Toyota Kirloskar Motors has lately launched face lifted version of its hatchback Etios Liva alongside that of Etios sedan. Etios Liva might not have set the cash registers ringing for the car maker but has managed to garner decent sales figures due to its spacious cabin and Toyota stamp. 2016 Toyota Etios Liva is an attempt by the company to make the car more desirable than before. While there are no changes in the engines, the exterior and interior has been revamped and more safety features have been introduced. The car will be known as Toyota Etios Liva Platinum.

Here are eight things that will help you to know 2016 Toyota Etios Liva better:

2016 Toyota Etios Liva is not as feature rich as the Brazilian model

The updated model was revealed at Brazil ahead of its India launch. The Brazilian model gets features like all-black interiors, touch screen infotainment system, multi functional steering wheel, cruise Control, MID Unit inside instrument console, all of which have not made it to the India bound model.

Sportier and Sharper Exterior

Just similar to the facelifted version of its sibling, Etios, Etios Liva gets a major design change at the front. It turns sportier with a new V shaped radiator grille with black honeycomb inserts, and a revised bumper. A sculpted look is attained by the sharp creases on the hood. Interestingly, the front fascia of the car now resembles that of Maruti Suzuki Baleno. Newly added 15 inch diamond cut alloy wheels and side skirts lend an aggressive feel to the side profile of the car. To give a premium appeal to the car, OVRM mounted turn indicators with chrome garnish have been added.

The rear bumper too has been redesigned and looks a lot leaner than before. A chunky looking chrome bar now sits at the boot-lid and announces the distinct presence of the car.

The car still measures 3775 mm in length, 1695 mm in width and 1510 mm in height. The wheelbase also continues to be the same 2460 mm. The car comes in seven colour options including Silver Mica Metallic, Harmony Beige, Classic Grey, Ultramarine Blue, Vermillion Red, Celestial Black and White.

Same set of engines

As mentioned before, the model continues with the same set of engines as before. The petrol mill on duty is a 1.2-litre mill that delivers 80PS of power @ 5600 rpm along with 104Nm of peak torque @ 3100 rpm. The oil burner is the same 1.4-litre CRDI engine that makes 68 PS of power @ 3800 rpm plus torque of 170 Nm @ 1800 – 2400 rpm. Both the engines continue to be combined with 5-speed manual transmission. No mechanical changes means that the mileage will remain the same 17.71 kmpl for petrol trims and 23.59 kmpl for diesel trims.

The spacious cabin gets more features

Several tweaks inside the cabin have made 2016 Toyota Etios Liva more upmarket than before. The beige and black colour theme looks elegant. The layout has not been changed but the instrument cluster has been given a new and refreshing design, though it continues to be centrally mounted. It features an Optitron combimeter with illumination control. The dual tone dashboard of the car houses the audio system with Bluetooth and USB compatibility. The three spoke electric steering wheel has been wrapped in leather and the seats don new upholstery.

On the safety meter

Sensing the need for advanced safety features in Etios Liva, Toyota Motors has done well to make the car safer. It now hosts dual airbags, ABS with EBD as standard features across the variants. Features like Cruise Control, ISOFIX child seat mount, and seat belts with pretensioner have also been added. Other safety features on the car include engine immobilizer, keyless entry, etc. The newly added reverse parking sensors make it easier for the driver to park this vehicle.

Better Performer

The updated model of Etios Liva is more responsive and swifter than its predecessor. The rubber engine mounts have been replaced with hydraulic mounts to enhance the NVH levels of the vehicle. The improved shock absorbers at the front have also made the car smoother to drive. The company claims that the clutch plate and the gearbox have also been tweaked to better the performance.

Price Wise

The car is priced quite affordably starting at Rs. 5.24 lakh for the base petrol model and moving up to Rs. 6.28 lakh (ex- showroom Delhi) for the top end petrol variant. The diesel variants of 2016 Toyota Etios Liva fall in the price range of Rs. 6.61 lakh to Rs. 7.44 lakh (ex-showroom Delhi).

Competition

2016 Toyota Etios Liva will take on rivals like Tata Bolt, Ford Figo, Maruti Suzuki Wagon R, Honda Brio, Maruti Suzuki Swift and Hyundai Grand i10. The updated model of the car will be known as Toyota Etios Liva Platinum and will be sold alongside the pre-facelift models.

In its updated avatar, Toyota Etios Liva, looks more polished and sharper than before. The addition of new features while keeping the price affordable surely makes it a good value proposition.